Latest news with #Baylee
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Swinging Through Tragedy: Washington's Baylee Parrott using senior season to remember late dad, grandfather
WASHINGTON, Illinois (WMBD) – Baylee Parrott was born to be in a sports-loving family. Her mom Erin played softball; her father Brad, baseball. They would spend plenty of quality time in the batting cages. He was the best. We would sit in like the backyard for hours playing catch, and then he would take me up to At Bat, like throughout the night. It could be 10:00 and I'd be like, 'Can we go to At Bat?' And he'd be like 'Yeah.' Baylee Parrott Washington softball player supported by friends and family Baylee's dad along with her grandfather William instilled into her their love of sports from the pros down to the Bradley Braves. 'We are huge Cub fans. We're just big into everything, like Bradley basketball, Tennessee football. I would just go over to his house and we would just like, have, like, good quality time together,' Parrott said.' Brad always filmed Baylee's at-bats. When she was 14, he captured every ball player's coveted milestone. I was getting so close, but I never hit a home run. And he was like, 'Today's the day. Like you're hitting a home run. And [the video] gets a little crazy because I think he got excited. I was just really happy. I remember I pumped my fist up in the air when I rounded first base. Baylee Parrott In the video, you can hear Bradley seemingly will the ball over the fence, yelling 'Get out of there!' But fast forward to March 27, 2025, just as Baylee's senior season got underway, her life was forever altered. Family members of Washington softball player killed in Tennessee crash Bradley and William Parrott were killed in an early-morning car crash by an alleged drunk driver near Nashville, Tennessee. The pair had traveled down to watch Baylee and the rest of the Panthers compete in a national tournament. Baylee was warming up with her teammates minutes before the game when she learned the heartbreaking news. We were just some taking lines for ground balls and my mom and my stepdad came over and they're like, 'It's an emergency.' And I was like, 'Oh, my God. Like, what's going on?' I walked over and then they told me, and I was just like, in shock. I fell to the ground like it was bad. Baylee Parrott Jan Smith Field turned into Baylee's safe space away from her new reality. Parrott said, 'I just feel very comfortable here. It's gotten me, like, through a lot of, sad times. If I'm upset I'm like, 'Well, at least I have softball later.'' Less than a week after the crash, Washington was scheduled for their first home game. There was no question in Baylee's mind. She was going to play. I know that's what they would have wanted, and I know how excited they would have been for Opening Day. They'd be texting me like, 'Oh, go hit a home run. Go play good.'' Baylee Parrott With Brad and William's usual seats behind home plate left open, and much of the Washington community gathered, the game started quick, with Baylee recording the first two outs. 'Okay, I'm ready now. …I can take a breath. Like, I was so nervous. This is perfect. Like this was for me,' Baylee said with a laugh. Then, in her very first at-bat since the crash, Baylee came through with an RBI base hit. Like once it got past the pitcher. I was like, 'Oh, my God!' It was very scary. But it was great. I was just so proud of myself. And then seeing my teammates, it was really great, like almost made me cry. And then like, I ran over to coach. They were just so proud of me. Baylee Parrott Baylee and her dad shared the number 13 on the field; she keeps with her a necklace with a message from him. 'My dad actually got this for Christmas for me. it says 'Never Bunt', and it says 'Love Dad.'' She also ordered a unique keepsake on a necklace to have as a physical reminder. 'His fingerprint. Yes, just like a piece of him.,' Baylee said. 'When I get nervous, I like, grab my necklaces. So it's, like, kind of nice and it reminds me of him.' After the funeral, Baylee left behind in her father's coffin a special memory that will stay with her dad forever: A softball from a home run she hit on what turned out to be his very last birthday. And Brad Parrott captured it all on video. He thought it was the best thing ever. I had to write on the ball after, and then I gave it to him. It was really hard, but I know he would have wanted that ball. He loved it so much. Baylee Parrott This week, Washington starts what they hope is another deep playoff run; Bailey's last slate of games with the Panthers. 'It could be over next week,' Parrott said. 'It could not be. But I'm very excited, especially since we're hosting regionals. I'm very excited about that. And then I don't know, this team this year is just really special and I think we can go very far.' With her dad and her PaPa having a front row seat. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Looking for where to eat in Green Bay for the 2025 NFL Draft? Baylee Kraft, Aneisha Cox have some reccs for you
The start of the 2025 NFL Draft is just hours away. Hundreds of thousands NFL fans have descended upon Green Bay to join in on the three-day event, which has been years in the making. For many, it's also their first time experiencing some of Wisconsin's best eats. If the food stands at the NFL Draft grounds around Lambeau Field just aren't hitting the spot or you're just looking for some new local flair, two Green Bay Packers' partners have some recommendations for you. For players and fans new to Green Bay, Baylee Kraft has got you covered. On the eve of the draft, the 24-year-old photographer posted a TikTok with photos of her favorite Green Bay eats, many of them across the table from her husband, Packers tight end Tucker Kraft. In February, the couple announced they were expecting their first child. 'Green Bay food recommends you might not have heard of,' she wrote in the post, along with cheese and beer emojis. Here are Baylee's top spots to check out while you're in town for the draft: Lox Stock'n Bagel for a 'quick breakfast + coffee,' she wrote. Cheesesteak Rebellion. Along with the namesake cheesesteaks, Baylee recommended the cubed curds and wonton fried pickles — and 'if you like Star Wars, this is the place for you,' she added. Titletown Brewing Company. 'What's better than some good beer and a view!? They also have pinball downstairs!' Baylee wrote. Cocoon Brewing for 'the best pizza.' Legend Larry's for wings. The OC, which Baylee recommends 'specifically to try their cheese curds, almost like doughnuts.' Oakley's, for breakfast and brunch, especially the 'Bloody Mary & mimosa flight.' Vintage Cantina for tacos. In a TikTok posted April 23, Baylee also paid special homage to Green Bay cheese curds, with clips of Tucker pulling apart deep-fried, steaming curds from The OC and Wild Tomato. 'A moment to appreciate a good cheese pull,' she wrote in the caption. Need more suggestions? Aneisha Cox, girlfriend of Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed, made her own videos highlighting some of her favorite spots. The designer made two TikToks to help out of towners heading to Green Bay for the big three-day event. In the first, she recommended four local staples: El Bistro Lil' Jamaica Green Bay Distillery Sara's Artisan Gelato Viewers chimed in with their own recommendations in the comments. Discover Green Bay also reacted to Cox's post, writing "love these hidden gems." After her first post amassed more than 106,000 views, Cox made a second. This time, she recommended the following spots: Rustique's Republic Angelina's Plae Bistro Bleu The Creamery Stadium View More: Everything you need to know about the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Baylee Kraft, Aneisha Cox share best Green Bay food for 2025 NFL Draft
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brian Littrell Reacts to Son's American Idol Elimination
Originally appeared on E! Online Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson have Baylee Littrell's back. Baylee's fairytale run on season 23 of American Idol came to an end during the show's April 21 results show, during which the hopefuls were whittled down from 20 to 14, and the 22-year-old took his elimination in stride. "My American Idol journey has come to an end," Baylee wrote on Instagram April 22. "Thank you so much to all that supported me this season. I love you all." In the comments of the carousel post featuring photos of him performing on the competition show, his Backstreet Boys member father had nothing but love for him. "Bubba I am and always will be in your corner," Brian—who shares Baylee with wife Leighanne Littrell—wrote. "You are so strong and so very talented, and inspire me every day. It's never the end, only the beginning for so many to be blessed by your gifts….. you killed it last night." More from E! Online Kanye West Says He Had Past Incestuous Relationship With Cousin Penn Badgley Makes Rare Comment on Dating Blake Lively During Gossip Girl Fame Michelle Obama Breaks Silence on Skipping Donald Trump's Inauguration Meanwhile, Brian's bandmate Kevin also shared his support for Baylee after the devastating Idol result. "So glad you got to experience this," he commented. "Proud of you young man. Your journey has just begun…" While he was surely feeling the love following his elimination, there was one family member who Baylee was uneasy about after the news. "I don't know how I'm going to break this to my grandfather," the singer told USA Today after being cut from the show in an interview published April 22. "He doesn't know." While 10 of the top 14 contestants moved on based on fan votes, the remaining four hopefuls were chosen by judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, who had a single commercial break to decide who to save during the live broadcast. "My brain was almost like: 'Six! I can't do it!" Carrie told USA Today of what was going through her mind at the time. "We were pretty much aligned; there were a couple of concessions that had to be made, but all in all I think we're happy with how it turned out, other than six people had to go home, which is a huge jump." While Baylee's time on Idol was cut short, he still made an impact during his time on the series, including during his top 20 performance the night before his elimination when he sang "Gone Without Goodbye," which is a track from his dad's 2006 solo album Welcome Home that carried extra emotional weight for his family. "It means a great deal to us,' he told Ryan Seacrest after his performance. 'That song is really dedicated to tragedy—9/11, you know, all the victims that it affected." "My mom was supposed to be on the second flight that hit the towers," he shared of the second flight that hit the World Trade Center in September 2001, "so I feel incredibly lucky. It's an emotional song. I'm just glad I got through it." Keep reading for more celebrity kids who have competed on American Idol... Nikko SmithJordin SparksLara JohnstonJane CareyShannon MagraneGianna IsabellaAmelia Hammer HarrisClaudia ConwayAva MaybeeLeah MarleneLyric MederiosCamila GalavisEmmy Russell Baylee Littrell
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson Support Baylee Littrell After 'American Idol' Elimination
Baylee Littrell's time on American Idol has come to an end. On Monday, April 21, Baylee was eliminated from the singing competition show after making the Top 20. Reflecting on his experience on Instagram, the singer received some encouraging words from his father, Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell, and his second cousin, BSB bandmate Kevin Richardson. "My American Idol journey has come to an end💙 Thank you so much to all that supported me this season🙏🏼 I love you all 🙌🏼 #idol #bayleetrain," Baylee, 22, wrote. In the comments section, Brian, who shares Baylee with actress wife Leighanne, wrote, "Bubba I am and always will be in your corner. You'd are so strong and so very talented, and inspire me every day. It's never the end, only the beginning for so many to be blessed by your gifts….. you killed it last night. 🔥❤️" Related: Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell Has an Emotional Reaction to His Son Baylee's American Idol Audition Meanwhile Richardson, 53, wrote that he was "So glad you got to experience this. Proud of you young man. Your journey has just begun… ❤️" During his audition for season 23, Baylee sang an original song about wanting to give up called "Waiting on Myself to Die." Brian, 50, was present during the audition and grew emotional, saying he was "super proud" of his son who had "obviously grown up in the business and he's cut out for it." Then, judge Luke Bryan asked if they had ever sang together — and they proceeded to harmonize. In April 2023, Baylee opened up in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE about how growing up on the road influenced his music career. Baylee recalled having some "completely out of the ordinary" yet "amazing" experiences while traveling with the boyband. "I got to introduce my dad at 5 years old," he said. "And then when I was 10, I started opening up for them. I would sing two or three songs before the opener would come out and play their set. And then that transcended into 2019, being able to go on a 42-show run with them and be the official opening act. That was the experience of a lifetime." From an early age, Baylee knew he wanted to pursue music and dreamt of being the "sixth Backstreet Boy" when he would hangout backstage at shows. Related: Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell Gets Emotional as Son Baylee Pays Tribute to Late Grandmother on American Idol — Watch! "I had to be 6 or 7 at the time and I'd go crash the wardrobe closet and put on their outfits and stuff before shows," he told PEOPLE. "I have a memory of myself standing in front of a mirror in my dad's show outfit and I was like, 'Hey, can I be a part of the group?' And he put his hands on my shoulders and he was like, 'One day. One day you're going to get your shot.' " Baylee first revealed he was joining the singing competition show on Instagram on Feb. 5. The "Boxes" singer shared a picture of the show's infamous sign and added one of him playing the guitar. "Well guys😁recently I had the opportunity to audition for @americanidol 🙏🏼," he wrote in the caption. "Tune in to see the season premiere and what happens on 3/9/25!" Read the original article on People
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson Support Baylee Littrell After 'American Idol' Elimination
Baylee Littrell's time on American Idol has come to an end. On Monday, April 21, Baylee was eliminated from the singing competition show after making the Top 20. Reflecting on his experience on Instagram, the singer received some encouraging words from his father, Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell, and his second cousin, BSB bandmate Kevin Richardson. "My American Idol journey has come to an end💙 Thank you so much to all that supported me this season🙏🏼 I love you all 🙌🏼 #idol #bayleetrain," Baylee, 22, wrote. In the comments section, Brian, who shares Baylee with actress wife Leighanne, wrote, "Bubba I am and always will be in your corner. You'd are so strong and so very talented, and inspire me every day. It's never the end, only the beginning for so many to be blessed by your gifts….. you killed it last night. 🔥❤️" Related: Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell Has an Emotional Reaction to His Son Baylee's American Idol Audition Meanwhile Richardson, 53, wrote that he was "So glad you got to experience this. Proud of you young man. Your journey has just begun… ❤️" During his audition for season 23, Baylee sang an original song about wanting to give up called "Waiting on Myself to Die." Brian, 50, was present during the audition and grew emotional, saying he was "super proud" of his son who had "obviously grown up in the business and he's cut out for it." Then, judge Luke Bryan asked if they had ever sang together — and they proceeded to harmonize. In April 2023, Baylee opened up in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE about how growing up on the road influenced his music career. Baylee recalled having some "completely out of the ordinary" yet "amazing" experiences while traveling with the boyband. "I got to introduce my dad at 5 years old," he said. "And then when I was 10, I started opening up for them. I would sing two or three songs before the opener would come out and play their set. And then that transcended into 2019, being able to go on a 42-show run with them and be the official opening act. That was the experience of a lifetime." From an early age, Baylee knew he wanted to pursue music and dreamt of being the "sixth Backstreet Boy" when he would hangout backstage at shows. Related: Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell Gets Emotional as Son Baylee Pays Tribute to Late Grandmother on American Idol — Watch! "I had to be 6 or 7 at the time and I'd go crash the wardrobe closet and put on their outfits and stuff before shows," he told PEOPLE. "I have a memory of myself standing in front of a mirror in my dad's show outfit and I was like, 'Hey, can I be a part of the group?' And he put his hands on my shoulders and he was like, 'One day. One day you're going to get your shot.' " Baylee first revealed he was joining the singing competition show on Instagram on Feb. 5. The "Boxes" singer shared a picture of the show's infamous sign and added one of him playing the guitar. "Well guys😁recently I had the opportunity to audition for @americanidol 🙏🏼," he wrote in the caption. "Tune in to see the season premiere and what happens on 3/9/25!" Read the original article on People
